Youth jail taken off the critical list

A youth jail plagued by "Dickensian" conditions, racism and violence has "fundamentally changed" and is well on its way to tackling its problems, a report from the government's prisons watchdog says today.

Inspectors once described Feltham young offenders institute as "one of the worst" jails in the prison system and "rotten to the core". But improvements at the jail mean that it is now ready to be taken off the critical list, according to the report from Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons.

High levels of violence, including the race killing of one Asian inmate, and damning inspection reports in the past have led to the jail's notoriety.

The prison, in west London, holds juveniles aged 15 to 17 in its A wing, while young offenders aged 17 to 21 are kept in B wing. But the report, compiled after an eight-day visit to the prison in January by Ms Owers' team, claims a vast improvement.

Ms Owers says in the report: "We found an establishment whose culture, regime and vision were fundamentally changed. While there remains much to do before Feltham can be considered a fully healthy establishment, the changes we observed since the last inspection in 2000 meant that, after a period of intensive care, Feltham was off the critical list.

"We were impressed with the purposefulness and professionalism of the vast majority of staff, and in particular with sentence planning meetings for juveniles that were some of the most productive, inclusive and child-focused that we have seen. Reception and first night arrangements on Feltham A were also models of good practice."

It also says the catchment area of Feltham is too big, it includes more than 120 courts, and should be reviewed.

Shower cubicles should also be introduced as soon as possible, as communal showering is a threatening environment for children and young people in closed institutions, the report states.

Ms Owers' report concludes: "Feltham will continue to deal with the most volatile population in the young offender estate... It is very important that the support given to Feltham is not diminished.

"When we inspected it, it was well on the way to becoming a healthy and positive environment, but the governor and his staff will continue to need all the support they can get to consolidate these gains and continue the momentum that can make Feltham a stable and positive place for children and young people."

Commenting on the report, Martin Narey, director general of the prison service, said, "We are all aware there is much more to do yet, particularly in the care of those aged 18 and over, but the Feltham of old, criticised by everyone who saw it for as long as any of us can remember, is long gone and has been replaced by an establishment of which we can be proud."

Colin Moses, national chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, added: "I am pleased that prison officers at Feltham are being recognised for the invaluable work that they perform on behalf of society."